Asakura Clan House Code - Law #4 | Part 4 of 17 Article Series

ORIGINAL TEXT:
Do not excessively covet swords and daggers made by famous masters. Even if you can own a sword or dagger worth 10,000 pieces (hiki, equivalent of 10 mon), it can be overcome by 100 spears each worth 100 pieces. Therefore, use the 10,000 pieces to procure 100 spears, and arm 100 men with them. You can in this manner defend yourself in time of war.

MODERN INTERPRETATION:
Amassing expensive, unnecessary items and putting them into the hands of elites doesn’t help build a powerful, committed organization.  Equip your people with the tools and support they need to win.  Invest in your people, and you will succeed.

A Samurai must be concerned with winning.  Expensive, fancy-looking weapons for the elite few doesn’t actually help you win.  Arming a large volume of people with functional tools, however, does.  

Form Follows Function

“Form follows function,” is a 3 word, very fancy sounding principle of modern day design, apparently first attributed to architect Louis Sullivan (1856-1924), although he claimed he attained the concept through studying Roman architect Marcus Vitruvius Pollio (80BC - 15BC).

Perhaps this Roman knowledge made its way to Japan?

Or perhaps Wisdom is there for all to gain, should only one choose to observe it?

Wisdom of the Romans through Louis Sullivan

Sullivan elaborates, “Whether it be the sweeping eagle in his flight, or the open apple-blossom, the toiling work-horse, the blithe swan, the branching oak, the winding stream at its base, the drifting clouds, over all the coursing sun, form ever follows function, and this is the law. 

Where function does not change, form does not change. The granite rocks, the ever-brooding hills, remain for ages; the lightning lives, comes into shape, and dies, in a twinkling. 

It is the pervading law of all things organic and inorganic, of all things physical and metaphysical, of all things human and all things superhuman, of all true manifestations of the head, of the heart, of the soul, that the life is recognizable in its expression, that form ever follows function. 

This is the law.”

Focus your Resources on the Truly Important

What does this have to do with the Samurai, and with the Asakura House Code #4?

One must focus energy and resources on what is truly important.  For the Samurai, there would be a temptation to own swords and weapons forged by the best known bladesmiths and weapon makers, in past and present.  Owning the “best” weapons would give the “edge” (pardon the pun) that warriors were seeking to win.  Also, having these weapons in one’s possession would give prestige, attention, and status.

Asakura Toshikage, however, saw things differently:  Forget status, forget prestige.  One warrior with a fancy sword vs 100 warriors with decent swords - which would YOU rather have on the battlefield?

End of story.

Miyamoto Musashi on having Fancy Weapons

Miyamoto Musashi, in his Book of Five Rings / Go Rin No Sho, states, “If we look at the world we see arts for sale. Men use equipment to sell their own selves. As if with the nut and the flower, the nut has become less than the flower.

In this kind of Way of Strategy, both those teaching and those learning the way are concerned with colouring and showing off their technique, trying to hasten the bloom of the flower. They speak of "This Dojo" and "That Dojo". They are looking for profit.”

Musashi explains further, “Weapons should be hardy rather than decorative. You should not have a favourite weapon.

To become over-familiar with one weapon is as much a fault as not knowing it sufficiently well. You should not copy others, but use weapons which you can handle properly. It is bad for commanders and troopers to have likes and dislikes. These are things you must learn thoroughly.”

The BEST vs Good ENOUGH

In modern times, you see this “keeping up with the Jones’” effect.  Or you see this striving to always have “the BEST.”  Often, the “best” is simply not worth it.  It would be better to invest in “GOOD ENOUGH” and actually amass FUNCTIONAL power.  

NEXT LAW IN THE SERIES: A PREVIEW

The next article, Law #5, is regarding the concept of “buy local = build local” by developing and utilizing local ability, and investing in the future of your community.